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Ex-Wildcat Assistant Martin Newton Named to NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee


INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Samford University Director of Athletics Martin Newton has been named to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, it was announced last week by the NCAA announced. Newton will begin his appointment to the committee on September 1.


Newton joins the group along with fellow first-time member Tom Wistrcill, the commissioner of the Big Sky Conference. The 12-member NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee is responsible for selecting, seeding and bracketing the field for the NCAA Tournament.


"I am truly honored and humbled to be asked to serve on this prestigious committee," Newton said. "The game of basketball has been such an important part of my life and I'm grateful for the opportunity to give back to a game that has meant so much to me and my family. I'm excited to learn from and work with Dan Gavitt, his exceptional staff, and the other committee members for the next five years as we continue to grow this great game of college basketball."


This selection is just the latest chapter of Newton's life-long association with the game of basketball. Newton grew up around the sport as the son of legendary coach and administrator C.M. Newton. He later played basketball at Samford from 1979 to 1983, earning All-Conference honorable mention honors in 1980. After graduating from Samford in 1983, Newton then spent the next 26 years in sports marketing for Converse (13 years) and Nike (13 years).


Following his time at Nike, Newton was hired as the director of basketball operations at the University of Kentucky. While with the Wildcats, Newton managed the budget, fund-raising, compliance, scheduling, marketing and academic support for the men's basketball program under legendary head coach John Calipari. In his final season with the team, the squad reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.


Newton returned to his alma mater as its director of athletics in April of 2011. During his time in that position, Newton has overseen the most successful period in Samford Athletics' history. Samford teams have won 56 SoCon regular season, division or tournament titles under Newton's leadership.


While at Samford, Newton has continued to work to grow the game of basketball nationally. Newton began a four-year appointment to the NCAA Division I Council and the Men's Basketball Oversight Committee on July 1, 2019. The Division I Council is a high-level group responsible for the day-to-day decision-making for Division I while the Men's Basketball Oversight Committee ensures that appropriate oversight of men's basketball is maintained and makes recommendations related to regular-season and postseason events.

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